Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-09-16

| year there was never q cloud IN the SKY,
! and the action of the lens was as sure as
fate itself.
The guard paced up and down his beat,
and Pierre was left to his meditations.
He struggled until his strength was
gone, irving to loosen his bonds, but it
was useless
His head fell upon his breast, and he
closed his eyes. But he could not calm
himself, and no again looked around the
square. ALI Of the soldiers were march
ing off with the exception of one company.
1t was evident that the French were not
supposed to )e in the neighborhood.
stranger things have happened"
thought Pierre; ~ may yet be rescued"
His eyes turned upward and he saw
that the sun was almost directly over
head.
He glanced down the gun to the prim-
ing, and it seemed to him that he could
hear the fixing noise of the powder.
The sun was intensely hot, and this in
spired terror.
'Saints abover' groaned the poor
wretch. con such day as this the gun
will go off ahead of timep'
What did it matter? A few minutes
would not save him. The glass shone
with an internal brilliancy, and not a
| speck of cloud was to be seen.
eff ever do get out of this,' grunted
! Pierre.
He did not say what he would do.
! There was no use in making any promises.
Higher and higher in the heavens moved
the flaming orb. Surely it was noonl
The half fainting prisoner held his
| breath. The muscles of his face twitched
nervously, and his eyes were fixed with an
inf cto Iof+ 1or
| Like the echo of an echo came a familiar
sound waited upon the mountain breezes.
"Godr' gasped the miserable man
through his pallid lips.
| Was it bugle? Even if it was it was
too late. If relief came it would have to
| be at once.
| Louder, clearer, sounded tine triumphant
note, giving forth the sweetest ring that
| the listener had ever heard He threw his
| head back, and the light of hope and cour-
age danced in his eyes.
''The devill'' he shouted, 'twhether am
saved or not these yellow dogs will soon
bite the dust!''
The Mexicans heard the French bugles.
| and in another moment Quinquambo was
in tumult of disorder.
But the defenders of the town, weakened
by the departure of their comrades in the
morning, were unable to cope With any
thing like a strong force, and no sooner
did the French dash through the outposts
than the Mexicans fled to the woods, fully
half of them being shot down before they
reached shelter.
Pierre's bonds were cut by a trooper,
| who with three whacks of his saber cut
| the prisoner free.
| To Pierre's Unreasonable qualification,
| Col Campos and his command had been
captured on the way and brought to town
! by the raiders.
| 81 must see him." said the spy. III
| have little settlement to make with him.
| Boom!
"sacrer' yelled Pierre, IT had forgotten
all about the gun!'
| The smoke slowly lifted, and on the
open side of the plaza was seen a group of
dead and dying Mexicans. The discharge
had occurred just as the prisoners were
marching by.
One of the unfortunates was lying on
his face, but his uniform showed him to
be an officer of high rank.
Pierre turned this man over, gave one
look at his face and. then fell upon his
| knees in prayer of thanksgiving.
=! In the dead man he had recognized Col.
Campos.-Wallace P. Reed in Atlanta
| Constitution